Early Childhood Development

In many parts of the Cape Flats, young children grow up in under-resourced environments, characterised by poverty, violence, abuse, substance abuse, gangsterism, neglect, abandonment or illness (most often a combination of these). Subsequently, many young children miss out on the playfulness of childhood, which in turn impacts on their emotional and social development.

The Early Childhood Development Programme focuses on young children (aged between 2-6 years) in these environments, striving to contribute to their holistic development using the VIP principle. Validating the children, encouraging them to take Initiative, and encouraging Playfulness and creativity, is the maxim underpinning all our work.

The programme offers Creative Music Facilitation (CMF) Training to care workers such as teachers, carers, social workers , community workers or musicians. CMF constitutes experiential training in communicative play through music-making. It equips participants with skills and tools to conduct creative music-making sessions with the children in their care.

The training is facilitated by MusicWorks music therapists, in three phases:

Phase 1: Music Child Workshop

This workshop runs over two days and uses doll-making as a projective technique; allowing participants to reflect on their lives and their childhoods, and how these experiences impact the way in which they work with children. Further music-making and music-listening activities form part of the workshop; giving participants the opportunity to reflect on the role music plays in their lives.

Phase 2: Creative Music Facilitation Workshop

This workshop focuses on the theoretical framework underpinning work with young children, and on the development and sharing of musical and play resources. Teachers learn songs and games that incorporate the VIP philosophy.

Phase 3: On-site Mentoring

Teachers receive on-site visits from a MusicWorks music therapist who supports, guides and mentors the teachers as they facilitate music groups with the children in their classes.

Thus, through partnering with carers and empowering them with creative resources, music-making facilitates the critical early development of the child, enhancing and enriching the child’s emotional and social development.